School will host Buddhist troupe

icBerkshire, Mar 22 2006

Newbury, UK -- TIBETAN monks who practise their religion through music and dance will be staging a public performance at St Bartholomew's School. Tickets are on sale now for the Newbury leg of the Tashi Lhumpo Monastery's European tour.

The monks will be setting up a stall at the evening event on May 4 to sell their goods to help pay for the running costs of the non-profit-making monastery, which teaches the Buddhist religion and also operates a modern school.

Maria Pratico, head of religious education, said: "Our year eight students and some local primary school children are very fortunate to be watching the monks perform their ritual dance and music during the school day.

"We are looking forward to the Tibetan Monastic dance tradition known as Cham which is unique in its detailed movements and costumes."

Mrs Pratico added: "By opening the event to the public in the evening it means a wider audience can enjoy this enriching experience."

Tickets for the evening performance are £8.50 for adults, with £5 concessions, and are available through The Corn Exchange Box Office on 01635 522733.

The event starts at 7.30pm in the school's Luker Hall. [25cf] The Tashi Lhumpo Monastery was established by the first Dalai Lama, in 1447 in Tibet and flourished until the communist Chinese invasion in 1959. It was re-established in 1972 in south India with 19 monks,and remains there to this day.

Some of the monks visit Europe each year to raise money to complete their new monastery.